"Tectonism has affected Earth's climate, geomorphology, magmatism, geochemistry, sedimentary environments, and economic resources throughout its geologic evolution. This makes tectonics a core subdiscipline in Earth sciences. Webster's dictionary defines plate tectonics as: "a theory in geology: the lithosphere of the earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and much of the earth's seismic activity occurs at the boundaries of these plates." However, plate tectonics is more than just a theory; it is overwhelmingly accepted as the Unifying Theory of Earth Sciences because all aspects of Earth Sciences can be explained within the framework of plate tectonics. Earth's crust is divided into major plates and microplates, interacting with each other along divergent (extensional), convergent (compressional), and transform (strike-slip) plate boundaries. Within the last forty years, Earth sciences have made tremendous advances in our understanding of plate tectonics processes along these three different types of plate boundaries"-- Provided by publisher.
Series:
Geophysical monograph series ; 277 Tectonic processes: a global view ; volume 1
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